


Moments

by ifreet



Category: White Collar
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-05
Updated: 2011-04-05
Packaged: 2017-10-17 15:53:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/178465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ifreet/pseuds/ifreet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are two ways this can play out.</p><p>(Spoilers through the end of season 2.  Darker than my usual take on Neal.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Moments

"Life comes down to a few moments, Mr Fairweather, and this is one of them." ~ Hard Sell, episode 1.08

Kate is an honest citizen. And when Adler absconds with the fortunes of so many (including Neal's, not that anyone but Mozzie would ever know), she's floored, caught flat-footed and reeling and so absolutely _angry_ after the shock wears off. Kate's always been beautiful, but never as much as she is now, pressing lockpicks against the tumblers, poking her tongue out in concentration, and the look of jubilation when she succeeds leaves him breathless. She's always been clever, two steps away from catching out Nick Halden's lies (Neal has never lied to her, not once, not ever), but now she's _inspired_ , small improvements on Mozzie's plans leading to schemes of her own, intricate marvels that Neal can't wait to make real. Kate is honest, and she's angry, and Neal hopes she never realizes she could still walk away.

 _Kate is the best grifter Neal has ever met. And when Adler takes off with their fortunes in hand, she comes clean to Neal and raises an eyebrow on his indignant sputter. He drops the affronted act. He's young and new to the game and reeling from Adlers's far bigger insult to abilities too much to care. Kate's always admired the utility of beauty, and Neal could be very useful. She shows him how to manipulate systems like clay and wind people like strings, gives him the skills that Mozzie hasn't (yet, he asserts, hadn't yet), and points him at a world that wants to be conned, that deserves it for being so very connable. Neal soaks up every lesson, practices every move, and looks to Kate like she's the one perfect thing._

***

Neal slides his hand over Peter's, the tip of his ring finger coming to rest against the ring on Peter's. The apartment is still, dust motes dancing in the sunlight, everything quiet as an indrawn breath as he waits for Peter's reaction. His heart is racing, blood pounding, and it's adrenaline, mostly, that feeling of free fall when everything is put into a mark's hands, when he's given up control. It's always a powerful rush, excitement and dread tangled up together, but even stronger this time. He's risked money and his freedom before. He's risking something else this time, far more delicate and nameless.

Peter takes off his ring. If Neal were the person Peter wants him to be, he'd care. But Neal isn't. Peter is a Vermeer, an ordinary man elevated by some strange alchemy to extraordinary. And Peter doesn't belong to him. But Neal wants, and Neal's so very good at getting what he wants. He still feels a jolt, a shock of surprise when Peter's lips crush his -- but he's always surprised when the risk pays off.

 _Neal slides his hand over Peter's, the tip of one of his fingers brushing the metal of Peter's ring. The afternoon is so quiet, the hush of traffic is distant, unobtrusive, and does nothing to cover how absolutely frozen this moment is. He keeps his expression calm, hopeful, as his heart races to the familiar thrill of risking it all on one hand, knowing he'll win it all or lose it all in one move. He hopes he's stacked the deck enough and makes himself wait. Peter has to be complicit in the game._

 _Peter takes out his phone. If Neal hadn't made Peter confront his marriage first, if he'd made a different 'first' move... No, this was the right play, he decides. Easier to convince Peter he'd misunderstood than to salvage the working relationship had Peter had an attack of conscience after the fact. Even though Peter will be aware now, and there'll be no second chance._

***

Neal had nothing to do with the theft. Peter doesn't believe him and that honestly, stupidly hurts. Of course Peter doesn't believe him. He's a con, and there is no trust-building exercise in the world that could make Peter lose sight of that. (Neal thinks of Peter having to do a trust fall in some FBI teambuilding event and strangles a laugh at the thought.) Never mind that Neal has risked himself for Peter, never mind that he gave up one of his few remaining New York assets to ransom him. Peter doesn't trust him, may never trust him, and looking around the locker, Neal is sorely tempted to prove him right.

 _Neal had nothing to do but wait for his partner to come through. Peter suspects him and is tediously obvious in his disbelief in his avows of innocence. Peter sees self-interest in every single thing Neal's done, from the moment he'd identified the security thread on Peter's jacket to the explosion he was nowhere near, and while that's not entirely true, it's close enough that it doesn't sting. He's not trustworthy, but his plans have rarely turned on Peter trusting him, so he can let it go. Because now Neal has this, wealth and revenge and proof that he is the best player in the game, and Peter can't prove a damn thing._


End file.
